Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kevin Porter Jr. is expected to be released or traded by the team following an incident in the locker room on Jan. 15.
The second-year player became angry when he entered the locker room and found that the team gave his locker to newly-acquired Taurean Prince, according to Jason Lloyd, Joe Vardon, Kelsey Russo and Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Porter, who’s locker was moved to the wall where “younger, end-of-bench players reside,” reportedly began yelling and at one point, threw food.
The decision to move Porter’s locker was based on NBA seniority and spacing to adhere to COVID-19 protocols, a team source told Spencer Davies of Basketball News.
The 20-year-old “remained combative” when general manager Koby Altman came into the locker room and confronted him.
Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff heard the commotion from his office and came in, “shocked and disgusted at what he heard,” per The Athletic.
The Cavaliers spent the weekend trying to trade Porter with no luck so far, the report adds.
Porter was told to clean out his locker after the outburst and other members of the roster were told he’d no longer be on the team, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
Bickerstaff didn’t specifically address the incident, but hinted that the decision to move on from Porter was final.
“We all want to see Kevin be successful and I still feel that way, so whatever it is that happens in the future for him, I hope nothing but the best for him,” said Bickerstaff. “It’s part of our responsibility as coaches to give everyone our all and try to make the best of every situation and I can say that we did that.”
Porter was arrested back in November and charged with improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle after he flipped his SUV.
He has yet to play this season due to personal reasons.
The Cavaliers’ team source hopes that Porter can turn things around in his life off the court.
“I’m worried about him outside of basketball at this point.”
In 50 games last season, Porter averaged 10.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.
